Winnipeg Free Press September 24

Canada’s growing flirtation with private for-profit health care has led to the first legal assault on Canadian medicare under the investor-state clause of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Alone among the world’s trade treaties, NAFTA allows foreign investors to sue the Canadian government directly if any public policy or governmental action denies them investment or profit opportunities. To date, Canada has been hit by 15 such lawsuits costing more than $18.5 million with another $533 million in claims pending. This is by far the highest among the three NAFTA partners. Now, a group of 200 private investors led by Arizona businessman Melvin J. Howard is planning to use the NAFTA national treatment mechanism to pry open Canadian medicare — often described by neoconservatives as “the last great uncracked oyster in the North American marketplace.” In July, Howard filed legal papers to set the suit in motion and is only awaiting the outcome of the Oct. 14 federal election to start negotiations. Howard and his partners want to open a private surgical centre in B.C. similar to the Cambie Clinic owned by Dr. Brian Day, past-president of the Canadian Medical Association, but are facing what they call anti-American roadblocks in several municipalities. (Keep reading…)

Thursday, August 28, 2008 | http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/08/27/who-socdet.html#socialcomments (Keep reading…)

Canadian Dimension Magazine, September/October 2008

Walking with Dr. Gabor Maté through Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is like being on the arm of the Pope. He knows everyone, and stops, again and again, to chat and check-up on patients and area residents he’s come to know over the past decade. (Keep reading…)

June 2008 Features

On April 8, 2008, the Harper government introduced Bill C-51 as an amendment to the Food and Drugs Act. If passed into law, Canadians will no longer have the freedom to choose between pharmaceutical drugs and natural health products. The two categories we now have, namely drugs and natural health products, would be merged into one category called “therapeutic products”. (Keep reading…)

Winnipeg Free Press March 17, 2008

Citing a report by a founder of Quebec health care, a Winnipeg Free Press editorial (Feb. 28) wants user fees and private care to remain part of the public debate lest health care become unsustainable. (Keep reading…)

Winnipeg Free Press Feb 19 2008

It is not surprising that those who promote further privatization of Canada’s public-private mix in its health care system ignore comparisons with the U.S.A., since its largely private system is so terribly flawed with high costs and limited access. (Keep reading…)

Globe and Mail October 27, 2007

Before asbestos became feared as one of the most powerful cancer-causing agents ever used, it was heralded as the “magic mineral.” In an age of impermanence, asbestos offered durability. While it had the texture of wool, it didn’t burn and was incredibly resistant to decay. That is why it was once used in thousands of products, everything from car brake pads to insulation on some of the giant steel girders holding up the World Trade Center. (Keep reading…)

From: Rachel’s Democracy & Health News #918, Aug. 2, 2007 http://www.precaution.org/lib/07/prn_commentary_on_fluoride.070801.htm — (Keep reading…)

Apr 17, 2007 Canadian press

Health outcomes for patients in Canada are as good as or better than in the United States, even though per capita spending is higher south of the border, suggest Canadian and U.S. researchers who crunched data from 38 studies. (Keep reading…)

Special to Canadian Dimension

After a day of giving checkups, prescribing drugs and hearing about symptoms, one New Brunswick family physician wasn’t surprised to read a Harvard Medical School study released this month, stating Canada’s public healthcare system outperformed its U.S. counterpart in economic efficiency and patient well being. (Keep reading…)